At home, we have a couple of young magpies around most days, burying anything that might be food in the veg beds. One of them has also taken to climbing a trellis in order to try get at some hanging fatballs. I’ve also discovered that, a little like cats, if you can reflect sunlight off a surface and make it dance around, a juvenile magpie will find this utterly fascinating. The joy of learning their environment is a pleasure for anyone watching.

At work, I’ve been able to sit and have lunch surrounded by baby blackbirds, from a large group of 7 or 8 individuals, that will happily forage around me if I tuck into a quiet spot for my lunch. They know I’m there. but don’t seem to see me as any kind of threat.

Slightly more sadly, the swifts appear to have left locally. I’ve seen them elsewhere, but here in New Earswick they are gone.

Not yet gone are the sparrowhawks, and the other evening three of them were calling and swooping above the garden, engaged in a little playful sparring. Unfortunately they had moved off before I could get the camera out, but in looking for them I did spy another elusive bird. Can you spot it here:

There’s a small bird hiding here…

He’s pretty well tucked in. How about now:

How about now?

I’m sure you can see him there, but identity may be a struggle. It’s actually a male Blackcap, and he did later pose a little more openly:

Tomorrow I’ll have a few pictures and video from my trip to Bempton last week.